# 2001–02 Honduran Liga Nacional

The 2001–02 season in the Honduran Liga Nacional was divided into two phases, the Apertura tournament which lasted from September to December 2001, and the Clausura tournament which was played from January to May 2002. C.D. Motagua and C.D. Marathón each lifted one trophy obtaining the 39th and 40th national championship respectively in the history of the league. This was the fourth season under the Apertura and Clausura format.

## 2001–02 teams

* Deportes Savio (Santa Rosa de Copán)
* Marathón (San Pedro Sula)
* Motagua (Tegucigalpa)
* Olimpia (Tegucigalpa)
* Platense (Puerto Cortés)
* Real Comayagua (Comayagua) (promoted)
* Real España (San Pedro Sula)
* Universidad (Tegucigalpa)
* Victoria (La Ceiba)
* Vida (La Ceiba)

## Apertura

The Apertura tournament started on 7 September 2001 in La Ceiba with Victoria's 2–1 home win over last season's runners-up Olimpia. After 18 rounds Motagua, Marathón, Platense, and Olimpia qualified to the Final round to fight for the title.

### Regular season
#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Motagua | 18 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 13 | +9 | 32 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 2 | Marathón | 18 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 22 | +6 | 31 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 3 | Platense | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 14 | +2 | 27 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 4 | Olimpia | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 25 | 18 | +7 | 25 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 5 | Real España | 18 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 21 | 15 | +6 | 24 | |
| 6 | Victoria | 18 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 26 | +2 | 24 | |
| 7 | Vida | 18 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 23 | −3 | 20 | |
| 8 | Real Comayagua | 18 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 22 | 27 | −5 | 19 | |
| 9 | Universidad | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 20 | 31 | −11 | 15 | |
| 10 | Deportes Savio | 18 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 32 | −13 | 12 | |

#### Results

    As of 2 December 2001
| Home \ Away | SAV | MAR | MOT | OLI | PLA | COM | RES | UNI | VIC | VID |
| Deportes Savio | | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 3–3 | 0–1 |
| Marathón | 3–3 | | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 6–3 | 1–1 |
| Motagua | 2–1 | 2–1 | | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Olimpia | 3–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| Platense | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| Real Comayagua | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Real España | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Universidad | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–3 | | 1–4 | 1–1 |
| Victoria | 4–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | | 1–1 |
| Vida | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | |

### Final round
#### Semifinals
##### Motagua vs Olimpia

* Motagua won 4–3 on aggregate.

##### Marathón vs Platense

* Marathón won 3–2 on aggregate.

#### Final
##### Motagua vs Marathón

| Marathón | Motagua |
Juan Centeno :
| RB | 23 | Mauricio Sabillón |
| CB | 8 | Jaime Rosales |
| CB | 3 | Behiker Bustillo |
| CB | 4 | Lenín Suárez |
| LB | 6 | Nigel Zúniga |
| RM | 20 | Carlos Oliva |
| CM | 24 | Luis Guifarro |
| LM | 11 | Mario López | 72' |
| SS | 10 | Enrique Renau |
| CF | 17 | Pompilio Cacho |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 22 | Emil Martínez | 72' |
| Manager: |||
| José Herrera |||
Diego Vásquez :
| RB | – | Ninrrol Medina (C) |
| CB | – | Jorge Lozano |
| CB | – | Mario Chirinos |
| LB | 4 | Júnior Izaguirre | 80' |
| RM | 13 | Elmer Mejía |
| CM | – | Marlon Nolasco | 60' |
| CM | – | Ramón Romero |
| LM | 19 | Danilo Turcios |
| CF | 29 | José Pacini |
| CF | 26 | Marcelo Verón |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | – | Ariel Leyes | 60' |
| DF | – | Milton Reyes | 80' |
| Manager: |||
| Gilberto Yearwood |||
| Motagua | Marathón |
Noel Valladares :
| RB | – | Milton Reyes |
| CB | – | Ninrrol Medina (C) |
| CB | – | Jorge Lozano |
| LB | 4 | Júnior Izaguirre |
| RM | – | Marlon Nolasco | 76' |
| CM | – | Ramón Romero | 46' |
| CM | 19 | Danilo Turcios |
| LM | 7 | Róbel Bernárdez |
| CF | 29 | José Pacini |
| CF | 26 | Marcelo Verón | 12' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 13 | Elmer Mejía | 46' |
| MF | – | Ariel Leyes | 76' |
| Manager: |||
| Gilberto Yearwood |||
| RB | 23 | Mauricio Sabillón |
| CB | 8 | Jaime Rosales |
| CB | 3 | Behiker Bustillo |
| CB | 4 | Lenín Suárez | 43' |
| LB | 6 | Nigel Zúniga |
| CM | 20 | Carlos Oliva |
| CM | 24 | Luis Guifarro | 77' |
| AM | 10 | Enrique Renau | 58' |
| CF | 9 | Ricardo Correia | | 59' |
| CF | 17 | Pompilio Cacho |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 22 | Emil Martínez | 58' |
| FW | 25 | Jimmy González | 59' |
| MF | 11 | Mario López | 77' |
| Manager: |||
| José Herrera |||
* Motagua 3–3 Marathón on aggregate; Motagua won 5–3 on penalty shootouts.
* Liga Nacional 2001–02 Apertura Champion
* C.D. Motagua 10th title

### Squads

Deportes Savio :
| Wilmer "Superman" Cruz | Clayd Lester Marson | Juan García |
| Marlon Monge | José "Runga" Piota | Wilmer Ramos |
| José Suazo | Marlon Barnica | Delvin Andino |
| Marathón |||
| Jaime Rosales | Mauricio Sabillón | Pompilio Cacho |
| Emil Martínez | Juan Pablo Centeno | Fernando Regules |
| Narciso "Kalusha" Fernández | Darwin Pacheco | Mario Berríos |
| Behiker Bustillo | Enrique Reneau | Jimmy González |
| Óscar Vargas | Dennis Ferrera | Douglas Murillo |
| Ricardo Correia | Luis Guifarro | Camilo Bonilla |
| Mario López | Lenín Suárez | Nigel Zúniga |
| Carlos Oliva |
| Motagua |||
| Elmer Montoya | Júnior Izaguirre | Mauricio "Pipo" Castro |
| José Pacini | Noel Valladares | Juan Raudales |
| Marcelo Verón | Mario Chirinos | Ricky García |
| Jorge "Tata" Lozano | César "Nene" Obando | Elmer "Burrito" Mejía |
| Robel Bernárdez | Marlon Nolasco | Francisco Ramírez |
| Milton "Jocón" Reyes | Faussy Rodríguez | Ramón Romero |
| Dennis Salgado | Danilo Turcios | Diego Vásquez |
| Nimrod Medina |
| Olimpia |||
| Danilo Tosello | Donaldo González | Wilmer Velásquez |
| Donis Escober | Denilson Costa | Hugo Domínguez |
| Gustavo Fuentes | Hendry Thomas | Marcelo Ferreira |
| Merlyn Membreño | Fabio Ulloa | Diego de Rosa |
| Carlos Paes |
| Platense |||
| Diego Fernández | Jorge Zapata | Ángel "Búfalo" Hill |
| Elmer Zelaya | Fabricio Pérez | Ricardo James |
| Edgar Álvarez | Clifford Laing | José Anthony Torres |
| Víctor Coello | Pablo Medina | Mario Beata |
| Real España |||
| Erick Vallecillo | Marlon José Peña | Milton "Chocolate" Flores |
| David Cárcamo | Júnior Morales | Héctor Gutiérrez |
| Real Comayagua |||
| Rudy Williams |
| Universidad |||
| Héctor Cardona | Marlon Hernández | Mario Herrera |
| Luis "Bombero" Ramírez |
| Victoria |||
| Ricardo Gabriel "Gato" Canales | John Bodden | Carlos Lino |
| Carlos Discua | Ronald "Cuervo" Maradiaga | Mauricio Figueroa |
| Jorge Pineda | Luis Lagos | Carlos "Tatín" Morán |
| Miguel "Gallo" Mariano | Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda | Mario Chávez |
| Vida |||
| Jonathan Bush Sanders | Luis Perdomo | Renán "Chimbo" Aguilera |
| Jorge Ocampo | Saynor Álvarez | Marvin Brown |
| Justo Norales |

### Top goalscorers

8 goals
* Enrique Renau (Marathón)
7 goals
* Marcelo Verón (Motagua)
* Denilson Costa (Olimpia)
6 goals
* José Pacini (Motagua)
* Danilo Tosello (Olimpia)
5 goals
* Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)
* Pompilio Cacho (Marathón)
* Gustavo Fuentes (Olimpia)

## Clausura

The Clausura tournament was the second part of the 2001–02 season in Liga Nacional; the league games started on 19 January 2002 in La Ceiba with an unexpected 0–3 C.D. Victoria's home defeat against Deportes Savio. The previous champions C.D. Motagua was unable to qualify to the Final round and C.D. Marathón earned its first title after 20 long years.

### Regular season
#### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Olimpia | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 31 | 16 | +15 | 33 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 2 | Platense | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 35 | 25 | +10 | 31 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 3 | Marathón | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 27 | 21 | +6 | 29 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 4 | Victoria | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 19 | 21 | −2 | 25 | Qualified to the Final round |
| 5 | Real España | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 16 | 15 | +1 | 23 | |
| 6 | Universidad | 18 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 18 | −5 | 23 | |
| 7 | Deportes Savio | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 19 | 25 | −6 | 21 | |
| 8 | Motagua | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 16 | −4 | 19 | |
| 9 | Vida | 18 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 21 | −5 | 19 | |
| 10 | Real Comayagua | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 30 | −10 | 16 | |

#### Results

    As of 12 May 2002
| Home \ Away | SAV | MAR | MOT | OLI | PLA | COM | RES | UNI | VIC | VID |
| Deportes Savio | | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 2–6 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 |
| Marathón | 0–0 | | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 2–2 |
| Motagua | 0–3 | 1–1 | | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Olimpia | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 |
| Platense | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 |
| Real Comayagua | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Real España | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Universidad | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–0 | | 1–1 | 0–0 |
| Victoria | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | | 2–0 |
| Vida | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | |

### Final round
#### Semifinals
##### Olimpia vs Victoria

* Olimpia won 3–2 on aggregate.

##### Platense vs Marathón

* Marathón won 2–1 on aggregate.

#### Final
##### Olimpia vs Marathón

| Marathón | Olimpia |
Víctor Coello :
| RB | 23 | Mauricio Sabillón | 85' |
| CB | 8 | Jaime Rosales |
| CB | 5 | Darwin Pacheco |
| LB | 6 | Nigel Zúniga |
| RM | 7 | Emil Martínez | 70' |
| CM | 24 | Luis Guifarro |
| LM | 19 | Mario Berríos |
| AM | 20 | Carlos Oliva |
| CF | 10 | Enrique Reneau |
| CF | 17 | Pompilio Cacho | 46' |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | – | Óscar Vargas | 46' |
| DF | – | Douglas Murillo | 70' 90' |
| DF | 15 | Walter López | 85' |
| Manager: |||
| José Herrera |||
Donis Escober :
| RB | – | Gerson Vásquez |
| CB | – | Fabio Ulloa |
| CB | 23 | Mario Beata |
| LB | 5 | Merlyn Membreño | 79' |
| RM | – | Wilson Palacios |
| CM | 10 | Diego de Rosa |
| DM | 8 | José Luis Pineda |
| CM | 18 | Danilo Tosello |
| LM | – | Narciso Fernández | 46' |
| CF | 11 | Wilmer Velásquez | 66' |
| Substitutions: |||
| FW | 9 | Gustavo Fuentes | 46' |
| FW | 19 | Denilson Costa | 66' |
| DF | – | Limber Pérez | 79' |
| Manager: |||
| Edwin Pavón |||
| Olimpia | Marathón |
Donis Escober :
| CB | – | Fabio Ulloa | 57' |
| CB | 23 | Mario Beata |
| CB | 5 | Merlyn Membreño | 46' |
| RWB | – | Gerson Vásquez | |
| CM | 8 | José Luis Pineda | |
| CM | 18 | Danilo Tosello | |
| LWB | 4 | Edwin Ávila |
| RF | 19 | Denilson Costa |
| CF | 9 | Gustavo Fuentes | |
| LF | 11 | Wilmer Velásquez | 76' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 7 | Francis Reyes | 46' |
| MF | – | Wilson Palacios | 57' |
| MF | 10 | Diego de Rosa | 76' |
| Manager: |||
| Edwin Pavón |||
| RB | 15 | Walter López | 88' |
| CB | 4 | Lenín Suárez |
| CB | 5 | Darwin Pacheco |
| LB | 6 | Nigel Zúniga |
| RM | 7 | Emil Martínez |
| CM | 24 | Luis Guifarro | 75' |
| LM | 19 | Mario Berríos |
| AM | 20 | Carlos Oliva | 62' |
| CF | 10 | Enrique Reneau |
| CF | 9 | Elvis Scott | | 75' |
| Substitutions: |||
| MF | 11 | Mario López | 62' |
| FW | 17 | Pompilio Cacho | 75' |
| DF | 23 | Mauricio Sabillón | 88' |
| Manager: |||
| José Herrera |||
* Marathón won 4–2 on aggregate.
* Liga Nacional 2001–02 Clausura Champion
* C.D. Marathón 3rd title

### Squads

Deportes Savio :
| Wilmer "Superman" Cruz | Clayd Lester Marson | Juan García |
| Marlon Monge | Marlon Banica | Wilmer Ramos |
| José Suazo | Delvin Andino | Gerson Norales |
| Dadson Díaz | Juan Trejo | Carlos Güity |
| Meilin Soto | Walter "Gualala" Trejo | Glendon Cruz |
| Marvin Morán | Cristian Rodríguez | Patricio Negreira |
| Marathón |||
| Jaime Rosales | Mauricio Sabillón | Pompilio Cacho |
| Emil Martínez | Juan Pablo Centeno | Fernando Regules |
| Orvin "Pato" Cabrera | Darwin Pacheco | Mario Berríos |
| Behiker Bustillo | Enrique Reneau | Jimmy González |
| Óscar Vargas | Dennis Ferrera | Douglas Murillo |
| Elvis Scott | Luis Guifarro | Camilo Bonilla |
| Mario López | Lenín Suárez | Nigel Zúniga |
| Víctor Coello | Leonardo Morales | Carlos Oliva |
| Ariel Leyes | Walter López | |
| Motagua |||
| Elmer Montoya | Júnior Izaguirre | Mauricio "Pipo" Castro |
| José Pacini | Noel Valladares | Juan Raudales |
| Hugo Domínguez | Mario Chirinos | Ricky García |
| Jorge "Tata" Lozano | César "Nene" Obando | Elmer "Burrito" Mejía |
| Robel Bernárdez | Marlon Nolasco | Francisco Ramírez |
| Milton "Jocón" Reyes | Faussy Rodríguez | Ramón Romero |
| Nimrod Medina | Carlos Paes de Oliveira |
| Olimpia |||
| Danilo Tosello | Donaldo González | Wilmer Velásquez |
| Donis Escober | Denilson Costa | Mario Beata |
| Gustavo Fuentes | Hendry Thomas | Gerson Vásquez |
| Merlyn Membreño | Fabio Ulloa | Diego de Rosa |
| Limber Pérez | Francis Reyes | Narciso "Kalusha" Fernández |
| Platense |||
| Diego Fernández | Jorge Zapata | Ángel "Búfalo" Hill |
| Elmer Zelaya | Reynaldo Tilguath | Ricardo James |
| Anael Figueroa | Clifford Laing | José Anthony Torres |
| Júnior Morales | Pablo Medina | Marcelo Ferreira |
| Real España |||
| Erick Vallecillo | Marlon José Peña | Milton "Chocolate" Flores |
| David Cárcamo | Héctor Gutiérrez | Reynaldo Clavasquin |
| Marco "Maco" Mejía |
| Real Comayagua |||
| Rudy Williams |
| Universidad |||
| Héctor Cardona | Marlon Hernández | Mario Herrera |
| Luis "Bombero" Ramírez |
| Victoria |||
| Ricardo Gabriel "Gato" Canales | John Bodden | Carlos Lino |
| Carlos Discua | Ronald "Cuervo" Maradiaga | Mauricio Figueroa |
| Jorge Pineda | Luis Lagos | Carlos "Tatín" Morán |
| Miguel "Gallo" Mariano | Reynaldo "Chino" Pineda | Mario Chávez |
| Vida |||
| Jonathan Bush Sanders | Luis Perdomo | Renán "Chimbo" Aguilera |
| Jorge Ocampo | Saynor Álvarez | Marvin Brown |
| Justo Norales |

### Top goalscorers

13 goals
* Marcelo Ferreira (Platense)
10 goals
* Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia)
7 goals
* Gustavo Fuentes (Olimpia)
* Elvis Scott (Marathón)
6 goals
* Denilson Costa (Olimpia)
* Carlos Múñoz (Real Comayagua)
5 goals
* Pompilio Cacho (Marathón)
* Enrique Reneau (Marathón)
* Emil Martínez (Marathón)
* Christian Martínez (Victoria)
* Danilo Tosello (Olimpia)
* Reynaldo Tilguath (Platense)
* Miguel Mariano (Victoria)
* Luis Oseguera (Victoria)
4 goals
* Clifford Laing (Platense)
* Francisco Ramírez (Motagua)
3 goals
* Carlos Oliva (Marathón)
* Jaime Rosales (Marathón)
* Jorge Pineda (Victoria)
* Carlos Güity (Vida)
* Marco Mejía (Real España)
2 goals
* Marlon Hernández (Universidad)
* Lester Marson (Savio)
* Milton Palacios (Victoria)
* Fabio Ulloa (Olimpia)
* Francis Reyes (Olimpia)
1 goal
* Ariel Leyes (Marathón)
* Walter López (Marathón)
* Óscar Vargas (Marathón)
* Nigel Zúniga (Marathón)
* Maynor Figueroa (Victoria)

## Relegation table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Marathón | 36 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 55 | 43 | +12 | 60 | Qualified to the 2002 Copa Interclubes UNCAF |
| 2 | Olimpia | 36 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 56 | 34 | +22 | 58 | |
| 3 | Platense | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 51 | 39 | +12 | 58 | |
| 4 | Motagua | 36 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 34 | 29 | +5 | 51 | Qualified to the 2002 Copa Interclubes UNCAF |
| 5 | Victoria | 36 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 47 | 47 | 0 | 49 | |
| 6 | Real España | 36 | 10 | 17 | 9 | 37 | 30 | +7 | 47 | |
| 7 | Vida | 36 | 6 | 21 | 9 | 36 | 44 | −8 | 39 | |
| 8 | Universidad | 36 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 33 | 49 | −16 | 38 | |
| 9 | Real Comayagua | 36 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 42 | 57 | −15 | 35 | |
| 10 | Deportes Savio | 36 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 38 | 57 | −19 | 33 | Relegated to the 2002–03 Liga de Ascenso |